Broncos & NFL

Broncos take WR Cody Latimer, tackle Michael Schoefield on Day 2

And on the second day of the NFL draft, a sobering dose of reality returned to Dove Valley.

The Broncos were supposedly going to become a pad-popping, fire-spitting, rip-snorting, ground-and-pound team this year.

Uh-huh. Over Peyton Manning's wobbly passes they are.

The Broncos didn't forget who they are. They didn't forget what the NFL is all about.

A day after taking Ohio State cornerback Bradley Roby in the first round to cover the pass, in the second round the Broncos took Indiana's Cody Latimer to give Manning another elite receiver to catch his passes.

"I never heard anything about the Broncos, so it was a little bit of a shock to me, but it was a great shock," Latimer said. "It will be awesome to play with one of the record-setting offenses."

Sure, Sammy Watkins was the first receiver drafted at No. 4, 52 spots ahead of Latimer. But Watkins has to play in Buffalo with an unproven quarterback in E.J. Manuel.

Latimer will play in Denver with arguably the NFL's most established quarterback in Manning.

"I played (against) corners from the Big Ten," Latimer said referring to a group that includes his new teammate, Roby. "At the next level, corners aren't that much bigger. There are some pretty good corners that came out, first round, Big Ten. I'm going to do the same thing: Come in and dominate in the NFL."

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It appears Latimer already possesses NFL receiver-caliber confidence.

In the third round, the Broncos went to the Big Ten a third time to add competition to their changing right tackle position by selecting Michigan's Michael Schoefield. With Orlando Franklin, who started the past three seasons at right tackle, moving to left guard, the Broncos will have Schofield, who at 6-foot-7, 301 pounds is relatively lean as edge blockers go, competing with Chris Clark, Vinston Painter and Winston Justice at right tackle.

Michael Schoefield out of Michigan was taken at No. 95 overall, in the third round. (Michael Conroy, The Denver Post)

Schofield can also play guard, one reason the Broncos drafted him.

"Very versatile, big guy that has a lot of upside," said Broncos general manager John Elway. "Still young, and we think he can grow. We think has the ability to get bigger and stronger."

The Broncos selected Latimer after swapping second-round picks with the San Francisco 49ers.

"We thought he was going to go a lot earlier than he did, so when he was finally there we couldn't wait any longer," Elway said.

Besides moving up from No. 63 to No. 56 in the second round, the Broncos also received one of the 49ers' three seventh-round selections. In return, the Broncos sent their fifth-round pick in this year's draft and fourth-rounder in next year's draft to San Francisco.

Let the Seattle Seahawks do their thing. They whipped Denver in the Super Bowl and bully for their bully-style of play. The Broncos can spend all their salary cap will allow on defensive stars such as DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward. They can emulate Seattle's defensive style with harder-hitting safeties and larger-sized cornerbacks. They can talk about playing a more physical style with attitude.

But the Broncos still are foremost Manning's team.

And with all due respect to Manning's nifty, 1-yard naked bootleg touchdown run at Dallas last year, his strength is passing the ball.

Manning and the Broncos set nearly every significant offensive and passing single-season record last season. And while Roby addressed a glaring hole on defense, Latimer was about strengthening a strength.

Maybe the Broncos will utilize a four-receiver set this season with tight end Julius Thomas as a fifth pass-catching option.

Actually, the likely plan is for Latimer to serve as an athletic bridge for the Broncos' receiving core. At 6-2½ and 215 pounds, Latimer is almost identical in size to the 6-3, 215-pound Eric Decker, who averaged 86 catches and 12 touchdowns the previous two years in Denver.

Decker became a free agent this season and signed a nice contract with the New York Jets. He was replaced in the short term by Emmanuel Sanders, who signed a three-year, $15 million contract and has the versatility to play both outside and slot receiver.

For 2014, Sanders will play opposite No. 1 receiver Demaryius Thomas while Wes Welker, who will make $6 million this year, operates from the slot.

But after this season, Welker's contract will be up as he turns 34 years old. Thomas' contract also expires after this season, although the Broncos could retain him with a $12 million-plus franchise tag if they can't reach agreement on a long-term extension.

Latimer, meanwhile can develop as a No. 4 receiver in 2014 — he is only 21 years old and rookie receivers historically struggle regardless of age — while moving in to the No. 2 role in 2015. Sanders, in theory, could slide into the slot next year.

It's always possible plans can be altered, though, through injury or performance. Latimer, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, played sparingly for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2011 as a true freshman, then broke out with 51 catches and a 15.8-yard average as a sophomore and 72 catches for 1,096 yards (15.1-yard average) and nine touchdowns as a junior.

He skipped his senior season and instead will get a four-year contract worth about $3.6 million according to the NFL rookie wage scale with roughly $1.5 million coming this year.

Vital statistics: Declared for the NFL draft after junior season. ... Caught a career-best 72 passes for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013. ... Career totals include 135 catches for 2,042 yards and 17 touchdowns. Had long gains of 70 yards as a sophomore and 77 as a junior.

Honors: Earned second-team all-Big Ten honors from the media after the 2013 season. ... Named ESPN's player of the week for his effort against Illinois that included 11 catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

High school: Was a three-sport star at Jefferson Township High School in Dayton, Ohio, but was known more for his prowess on the basketball court. ... Did not begin playing football until his junior year, but learned quickly with 45 receptions for 960 yards and eight touchdowns that season and 42 catches for 722 yards and six TDs as a senior.

Upside: Freakish combination of size and speed, with overall athleticism. ... Has good hands and can get physical and catch the ball in traffic. ... Improving in route running.

Question marks: Has played only five years of football and still could be considered rough around the edges. ... Became a draft riser based on his scouting combine and workout numbers, not necessarily his on-field production. ... Never played for a winner at Indiana.

Vital statistics: Appeared in 52 games for Michigan, starting 36 — the last 26 at right offensive tackle, the first 10 at left guard. ... Was credited with 229 key blocks or knockdowns. ... 30 of his blocks contributed to touchdowns.

Honors: Named honorable mention all-Big Ten Conference by the league's coaches after the 2013 season.

High school: Played offensive tackle, tight end and defensive tackle at Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Mich. ... Earned Super Prep All-America honors. ... Received a four-star rating by Rivals.com and was ranked as the nation's 18th-best offensive tackle prospect.

Upside: Has NFL size and strength, with good leg drive. ... Has shown to be durable and dependable. ... Played for a top-level college program. ... Sound techniques.

Question marks: Is not known to be light on his feet. ... Drive blocking is not considered to be his strength. ... For most of his college career, he did not play in a pro-style offense. Tom Kensler, The Denver Post

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